I missed last week's wander as I contracted the dreaded Covid. Rather than infect my friends I stayed ay home and threatened the family.
Back today and trying out my shiny new boots which I have been wearing around the house, as advised by the young man who sold them to me. They have been outside locally but this is their first taste of the countryside.
Five of us, John H., John C., Ian, Harry and I are having a fairly flat walk from the village of Kirkwhelpington in Northumberland. Follow the A696 through Ponteland and after a few miles the village is on the right.
The settlement was first mentioned in 1176 as Welpinton. The name comes from Old English and means the settlement of Hwelp's people. The prefix Kirk was added later.
The church of St Bartholemew has 13th century origins.
There is free but limited parking in front of the village hall.
OS OL 42 Kielder Water and Forest is more than useful, the track is not well marked on gateposts.
Once booted and coated as we were told to expect showers and a strong breeze we heade the short distance north from the hall, turned right, crossed a stream, turned left up a lane and headed north across fields. At the first pair of gates we came to a friendly farmer pointed out we were taking the wrong one. We took his advice after a chat about the weather and carried on uphill to the farm at West Whitehill. Just beyond the farm we turned left and walked to the A696 at Knowesgate.
Crossing the road we continued west to a plantation (mile 2) and followed a good track crossing the dismantled railway and passing the low remains of a bastle before reaching Ray Demesne.
Ray Demesne was once the home of Charles Parsons, the engineer who invented the turbine and demonstrated its capabilities in front of the navy at Spithead using his boat Turbinia, now on dispay at the Discovery Museum in Newcastle.
From here we climbed, steadily, and I'm not used to it, until we reached the wind farm on Ray Fell.
(mile 4)
And a single windmill. They are very noisy.
Once past the farm we entered a plantation, turned south and just beyond the mile 5 marker on the map called for a Herbie. Sitting on the ground as there were no picnic benches or conveniently felled trees around we shared Snickers and chocolate whips.
Lunch over we went through a gate and headed over rough ground, lots of Lauder Grass (qv) until we came to a bridge under the dismantled railway line.
A track took us to a road (mile 6) and we turned left. Ignoring the original route across a field as advice said it was extremely boggy, we followed the road to the next junction and turned right. Not too far along the tarmac we took the track by Lunga Crags (mile 7) and followed it to Hawick farm.
Stell at Lunga Crags (sheep pen)
From Hawick we crossed rather wet fields in a fairly straight line heading east to the farm at Crookdene.
The farmers pointed out, very gently, that they had had the footpath moved so it went round the farm rather than through the yard. A fair point I think. Chatting to them we admired their bright shiny new John Deere tractor. He asked me what I thought it cost. Not being in the business I hazarded a guess, £100000. Spot on the farmer replied. He also had what he called a "runaround" for the farm, a small JCB. They wished us well and off we went across wet and muddy fields. passing Kirkwhelpington Quarry (mile 9) to the last farm of the day at The Shield. Through the yard again, mud churned up by animals, but the farmer stopped to discuss the weather. What do you expect, we are British.
From the Shield we followed the farm track, crossed the A696 and were back in Kirkwhelpington.
Mile markers are approximate.
The walk is about 10.5 miles, a few gentle climbs. And there are stiles.
And the boots were fine, muddy but fine.
And a few more from Harry
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